What Does Remorse Look Like?

This is the question asked by the sister of one teenage killer in the film Lost for Life. Lost for Life ventures into the controversial question of whether or not teenage murderers should be sentenced to mandatory life without parole. It provides interviews with several of these teens, their family members, and others related to this issue.

The teenage killers interviewed in the film are now in there twenties and thirties. While watching the film I noticed some similarities between these individuals. All but one individual, whom was in a gang, appeared to have some mental issue of some kind. Two men carried weight of sexual abuse as children, and another had a stutter that suggested some intellectual disability.

My question is, can these men, and women out there, learn from their time in prison and be reintroduced into society? The National Organization of Victims of Juvenile Lifers thinks not, believing their loved ones murderers should have to serve a life sentence for the life they took. However, I cannot say I agree that these individuals should never be reintroduced into society. I believe that if an individual would like to apply for parole, then they should be required to undergo a thorough psych evaluation by a professional to determine whether they do feel remorse for the crimes they committed and whether they are believed to be a harm to society.

The man above was part of the murder of a high school friend. In the film, he has taken responsibility for his actions and shows clear signs of remorse by hurting himself to take away the pain he feels when he thinks of what he did to his friend. I believe this man could use mental health expertise more than prison at this point. Although he has accepted what happened, his accomplice in the crime still denies any wrong doing on his part and keeps a smug look on his face during the interview. Unlike the man above, I think that if this individual were let back out on the street he would probably kill again because he cannot even see why he belongs in prison.

I believe that mandatory life without parole is uncalled for. Though I don't deny that life without parole should still be a punishment, it should just be made so that one can apply for parole later down the road. That's my opinion on the subject, and I want to know yours. Leave a comment below telling me how you feel about the justice system in relation to juveniles.